In The Children's Bach, Dexter and Athena Fox, a content middle-aged couple raising their two sons, find their routine disrupted when Dexter reconnects with Elizabeth, an old acquaintance. Elizabeth's younger sister, Vicki, moves in with the Foxes, and their lives become entangled with Elizabeth's ex-lover, Phillip, and his daughter Poppy. While the plot may sound like a typical melodrama, the standout feature here is the exceptional writing.

Garner's ability to trim away the superfluous and deliver a concise, high-quality narrative shines. The story primarily revolves around Athena, who, after years of defined roles, takes a tentative step into the unknown. Music serves as a powerful backdrop, revealing the characters' depths and complexities, ultimately posing the question: Is it better to venture beyond one's comfort zone, even if failure is a possibility?

Author Helen Garner is a keen observer of people and her writing shows it. Athena and Dexter are living their family life when two women from Dexter's past appear in their home. Dexter knows Elizabeth and her younger sister Vicki from his college days when he had a relationship with Elizabeth. Now as a married man with children, he is intrigued to welcome the women into his family while his wife Athena spends her free time practicing the piano. Garner presents readers with an intriguing novel about personalities and character. Recommended for discussion groups that enjoy original fiction.

I've known that Helen Garner is a literary force in Australia, but that was the extent of my knowledge. I jumped into the The Children's Bach without any additional background knowledge, but I really enjoyed it. Yes, I was initially thrown off by the writing style and the amount of characters at the forefront of the book. I wasn't sure what was "important" to the story, but that anxiety quickly faded and I grew to appreciate the unique voice. It's a quiet sort of novel that is much more focused on the characters rather than an action-filled plot, which I'm a fan of. I look forward to checking out Garner's other books!

I appreciated this book but had a tough time following all of the writing, like I didn't quite "get it"

It's very unusual for me to not finish a book, but I gave up on this one after only a few chapters. It was simply impossible to follow. Characters were introduced with no apparent relation to the ongoing story and their presence wasn't adequately explained. The plot seemed nonexistent to me. It was a real shame since the description of the book certainly seemed like it would be fun and enjoyable.

Terrific book! You’ll love it and you’ll keep coming for more. It’s a wonderful story who will remain with you for a long time.

Pretty stunning. I’ve enjoyed Garner before, and once again am impressed by the concision, beady insight and unpredictability, always linked to a strong sense of the female, This one feels subtle yet large. She’s major.

I’ll be the voice of dissent here. The writing style is just too difficult for my brain to handle. I feel like I’m not smart enough for this book. It feels like the author took a mosaic apart, threw the tiles in a pile and I’m supposed to make sense of them and see the whole picture. I need a more cohesive, linear approach to storytelling. That’s just me and my tired brain.

I have never heard of this author but I am now going to read everything she has written. I loved this book and they way it shined a light on how creepy family vlogs can be. I always had guessed who had caused the crash, but pretty much everything else was a total surprise to me!

The Forward by Rumann Alam in The Children’s Bach is fantastic. Alam notes the “exhilarating feeling” of reading this book, even if keeping the characters straight was an issue. “Sometimes fiction shows us reality with utter clarity,” Alam writes.

I read this short book in an evening.

Years after graduating from college, old friends Dexter and Elizabeth run into each other and learn they live close to each other in Melborune.

Dexter is an optimist, sociable, upbeat. His wife Athena appears to be a happy wife and mother. They have two sons, one with a developmental disability.

Elizabeth has a career and tolerates her lover’s frequent infidelity. He has a daughter, Poppy. Elizabeth also has a younger sister, Vicki, who comes to stay with her in her sparsely furnished warehouse apartment.

“Elizabeth disliked the past,” we are told, while Dexter was “mad about the past.” Athena is learning to play the piano. She has a music book, The Children’s Bach. Elizabeth dismisses the idea: Bach is never simple, she proclaims.

Athena imagines a home separate from the family and the chaos of her disabled son, a place where order rules. But to Vicki, Athena “seemed contained, without needs, never restless.” Vicki moves in with Dexter and Athena, helping with the children. She loves the garden and the homey environment.

The story of these people spins out in complicated ways, revealing underlying and unspoken issues that impact all their lives.

And when the crisis is over, they go on.

The novel reflects a truth that many will recognize. The secrets, the rash acts, the acceptance, the capitulation to suppressing needs.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book.